White & Case Secures Victory in the US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit

Global law firm White & Case LLP secured a win in the US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, which ruled this week that there was not enough evidence to support a Miami state court jury's US$300 million verdict in the case of Taxinet, Corp. against former Mexico City congressman Santiago Leon.

The appeals court unanimously upheld a Florida federal judge's determination that evidence used to calculate the amount of damages awarded to Taxinet should not have been admitted in the 2021 trial, writing: "[Taxinet] did not … introduce sufficient admissible evidence to support the jury’s award of US$300 million on the unjust enrichment claim. The district court therefore properly granted Mr. Leon's Rule 50 motion with respect to damages."

A new trial will be held to decide whether Taxinet should receive a lesser amount in damages for its claim that it was cut out of a US$2.4 billion tech deal.

Taxinet, Corp. filed suit against Leon in federal court alleging a series of claims related to a dispute about a taxi-hailing application that was presented to the Mexico City government for purposes of obtaining a concession. Leon obtained summary judgment on all counts of Taxinet's amended complaint, except for its unjust enrichment claim. The district court conducted a trial on the unjust enrichment claim and some of Leon’s counterclaims. The jury had concluded that Leon was unjustly enriched and that Taxinet suffered US$300 million in damages. The jury ruled in Leon’s favor on his negligent-misrepresentation counterclaim against Taxinet, and its owner, Luis Noboa, and found that he suffered US$15,000 in damages. 

The White & Case team included partner Raoul Cantero and included associates Veronica Gordon, Zoe Stein and Alejandra Sanchez (all in Miami).

Harry Payton and Susan Mohorcic of Payton & Associates, LLC served as co-counsel and trial counsel. 

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